It is vital that we ensure all staff have the correct qualifications and skills to carry out their roles in looking after the patients, clients, and residents.  This process is called ‘credentialing’.

When a position becomes vacant, it is advertised  stating the level of qualification and skill  required for that particular role.  Following an interview process, the successful candidate, will have their qualifications and skills checked to ensure they are correct.  Certain health professionals – including medical staff, nursing, physiotherapy and podiatry – also have mandatory annual State registration otherwise it is illegal for them to practice.   Examples of this process this year, has been the appointment of the three new Managers for Melton Health. These positions are for Manager Adult Health, Manager Women and Children’s Health and Manager Day Medical. These positions required a qualified occupational therapist, registered nurse and physiotherapist with wide experience in both clinical and managerial roles as well as post graduate qualifications in their area. The interview and selection process was very thorough before three successful candidates were appointed.

It is also very important to ensure that all staff undertake regular training to keep their skills up to date so that ‘best practice’ care is carried out in the organisation.   We have a Manager Clinical Nurse Education who organises various training courses throughout the year for nursing staff.  Courses run during this year included No Lift and  Cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Some professions, e.g. physiotherapy,  now require the individual person to undertake  annual continuing education in order to maintain their registration to practise.  Every year an audit is undertaken of the personnel files to ensure that all appropriate credentialing documentation (i.e. annual practising certificates) are in place.  The latest audit conducted at the end of 2005 showed a 100% compliance.

One of our staff members who undertook further training during the year was our sonographer, Ken Taylor, who obtained accreditation to perform nuchal translucency scans. This course is accredited under the College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. The accreditation process involved a theoretical and practical examination as well as practical component.  This will be followed up with a stringent annual auditing process of the work being undertaken by our sonographer.